And Maka Makes Three
by sweetsheart
Summary: When Maka's mama and papa go on a holiday together, she has to stay with her Aunty Marie and her Uncle Stein. What will they get up to in the week that Kami and Spirit are away? Contains SteinxMarie, SpiritxKami and SidxNaigus. Rated T for sexual themes.
1. Sunday: Of Goodbyes And Monsters

**A/N: Headcanon for this story: Stein and Marie are Maka's godparents, but they're not together. **_**But, **_**they had crushes on each other at Shibusen (and still do.)  
>(just saying, this isn't actually canon : why u no canon, plotlines?)**

**Uh, and, Marie's a Deathscythe, but she's not currently assigned to anywhere. :D**

**Oh, and Stein doesn't have the screw in his head but he does have the facial scar.**

**I don't own Soul Eater. Damn it.**

**I could have used the Japanese suffixes for 'aunt' and 'uncle' in here. I know them, I'm just lazy. **

**Be warned… this makes regular fluff look like a dark, angsty, melancholy rampage. BEWARE THE CUTE.**

* * *

><p>"Kami… why didn't you tell me that I was house-and-babysitting with Stein?" Marie asked, whispering to her friend whilst Spirit was preoccupied with his daughter.<p>

"You'll be fine. And, for your information, Maka wanted the both of you to look after her." Kami explained. Marie sighed.

"I mean, we're good friends, and I'm pretty sure I've managed to keep it hidden since Shibusen, but… staying a week with him… I just… I don't know… if I'm over him." Marie sighed, rubbing her arm.

"So what? Maybe you're not supposed to be over him." Kami said. Marie sighed, looking over at the silver haired man who had situated himself on the couch, listening to Maka explaining some inane book series called Princess Sparkles to him.

"I know…" Marie said, exasperatedly.

"Well, if you do decide that you're not over him and you go any further than that, please change the sheets on our bed. Or clean wherever the hell you do it." Kami said. Marie's uncovered eye widened.

"We're not going to… No!" Marie exclaimed. Kami smirked before kneeling down to Maka, who had run over to her and swept her up in a tiny yet strong hug.

"Oh, I'm going to miss you, my darling Maka-chan." Kami said, placing a kiss on her daughter's forehead.

"I miss you too, Mama. And Papa." Maka said, batting her eyelids. Kami smiled.

"Now, you be good for Aunty Marie and Uncle Stein, you hear me?" Kami asked. Maka nodded.

"I will. I'll be good for them because I love them very much." Maka said, matter-of-factly. Marie smiled widely and even Stein gave a small smirk. Maka then ran over to her father, who picked her up and spun her around.

"Papa promises to bring you back a book, okay?" Spirit asked. Maka giggled.

"Will you read it to me when you get back?" Maka asked. Spirit nodded.

"Of course, sweetie." Spirit smiled.

"B-But who will read to me while you and Mama are gone?" Maka asked, worriedly.

"Well, last time I checked, Uncle Stein and Aunty Marie could read." Spirit said. Maka turned to her godparents.

"Can you guys read?" she asked. Marie and Stein both nodded at the girl.

"Wow! I can read a little bit. Papa has to read the big words, though." Maka said. Spirit kissed his daughter on the cheek before they did their special Eskimo kiss.

"Papa! It feels tickly!" Maka exclaimed. Spirit smiled and handed Maka to Marie. If they let the little girl down, she'd probably run after Spirit and Kami.

"Well, we'd best be off." Kami said.

"You've got the number of the hotel, right?" Spirit asked. Stein rolled his eyes.

"Yes, for the twelfth time, senpai." he crossed his arms. Spirit nodded.

"If you need to-" Kami started, but she was cut off by Marie raising her hand.

"Go! Have fun! We'll be fine." Marie smiled, holding onto the sandy-blonde haired toddler, who was currently infatuated with the band of her aunt's eyepatch.

"Alright… if you need anything, call us." Kami said, stroking her daughter's cheek gently, causing her to giggle.

"We will." Stein replied.

"Now, go. You're twenty-one; it's time to have a holiday to act like it." Marie said, leaning down to whisper in her goddaughter's ear.

"_Say goodbye to Mama and Papa, Maka._" she whispered. The little girl giggled and waved at her parents.

"Bye-bye, Mama, Papa!" Maka chimed, her green eyes wide. This just made Kami and Spirit to fawn over their daughter more. After noticing that they had lingered in the doorway for far too long, Marie spoke up.

"Go, you two! You'll miss your flight!" Marie exclaimed. Maka looked at the hand movement Marie was making, a sort of shooing motion, and copied it.

"Go you two! You'll… that thing that Aunty Marie said!" she copied Marie, causing her mother to coo over her further.

"Kami, come on." Spirit said, putting his arm around his wife.

"Alright. Thank you _so much_ for house sitting for us, guys. Maka wanted you both here, so… If she's fussy, just read to her. That usually works. We'll bring you back a 'thank you' present." Kami said. Marie nodded.

"Have fun, you two." Marie smiled, shutting the door after Spirit and Kami had waved them goodbye. The couple left down the hallway that led to their apartment, the one that Stein and Marie would be living in for the next week. Marie sighed, causing Maka to do the same.

"You're very cute, aren't you?" Marie asked. Maka nodded.

"I know." she replied.

"Modest, too." Stein piped up, crossing his arms and smirking. Maka, being three and not knowing what 'modest' meant, simply giggled and looked at Marie.

"Uncle Stein funny." she said, her cheeks rosy. Marie smiled back.

"He is, Maka." she replied.

* * *

><p>After the show she, Stein and Maka were watching went to an ad break, Marie stood up and walked into the kitchen. This caused Maka to gasp.<p>

"Wh-Where's Aunty Marie going?" Maka asked, looking at her godfather worriedly.

"I gather she's probably going to get your dinner." Stein replied. Maka calmed slightly at that, before crawling on Stein's lap and sitting up on her knees, eye level with him.

"Uncle Stein?" she asked.

"Yes?" Stein asked back.

"What are Mama and Papa going to do on their holiday?" Maka asked. Stein smirked slightly. He knew the _real_ answer; one that was highly inappropriate for a three year old to hear.

"Well, Maka," Stein began, "I think that they're going to have lots and lots of-"

"_Stein!_" Marie yelled from the kitchen.

"I was going to say 'fun'." Stein replied in a slightly raised voice, awaiting a response.

"I'm sure." Marie sighed, shaking her head. Stein rolled his eyes before looking back down at his goddaughter, looking for all the world like she had a million more questions to ask, and that she was trying to pick just one.

"What is it, Maka?" Stein asked.

"Well… If you're my Uncle Stein, and Aunty Marie is my Aunty Marie…" Maka began.

"Yes…?" Stein said, not sure where she was going.

"… Does that mean that you're married?" Maka asked, her pigtails bouncing as she readjusted herself on the couch.

"No." Stein replied, quickly. Maka's face dropped.

"Why not?" she asked.

"Because… because you have to be in love for a long time before getting married." Stein said. Trying to explain marriage to a three-year-old was difficult.

"But Papa says that you and Aunty Marie love each other very much!" Maka said, clenching her fists. Stein raised an eyebrow.

"Your father said that, did he?" Stein asked. Maka nodded.

"He said that you loved each other very much, and that you'd probably love each other very much all over the house while he was gone."

"Oh, I think that's quite enough of your father's opinion, tonight." Stein said, picking the girl up and holding her against his chest, walking out into the kitchen. Marie turned around, a wide smile on her face.

"What were you and Uncle Stein talking about?" Marie asked.

"Oh, let's not go there." Stein said. Marie raised an eyebrow.

"Why?" Marie asked. Stein sighed and looked at Maka.

"Maka, I need you to put your fingers in your ears and sing for me." Stein said. Maka smiled and stuck her fingers in her ears, proceeding to bellow.

"_La! La la la la-a-a!" _she began, when Stein answered Marie's question.

"Maka overheard Spirit saying that we love each other and remarking about how we were going to have sex all over his house while he and Kami were gone." Stein said. Marie sighed and rolled her eyes.

"He's insufferable. I love him, but he's insufferable." Marie said.

"Well, that's a bit oxymoronic, isn't it?" Stein asked, grimacing as Maka sang loudly into his ear.

"Okay, Maka, that's quite enough." Stein said, pulling the little girl's hands from her ears and resting them at her sides.

"What did you two say? Was it that you love each other?" Maka asked. Marie looked at Stein, who looked back at Marie.

"I think it's high time you learnt the lesson we've all learnt over the years, Maka," Stein began, "101 reasons why you should never listen to your father."

Maka giggled as Stein sat her at a chair at the dinner table. Maka liked being carried around everywhere; Marie and Stein figured that if they kept her attention until she fell asleep, it wouldn't register that she wouldn't see her parents for a week.

Unfortunately, this effect stopped working when Maka was put to bed. Marie was in Kami and Spirit's room, reading a magazine and Stein was in the loungeroom, flicking through television channels. He and Marie had decided that they'd spend alternate nights on the couch, though Stein figured that he'd probably be swindled out of most of his nights in the actual bed.

An almighty cry rang out through the apartment. Marie threw her magazine down and Stein jumped up from the couch, both of them making their way swiftly to the bedroom of the crying girl, nearly bumping into each other at the doorway.

"Aunty Marie, Uncle Stein, I want Mama and Papa!" Maka cried, Marie picking her up and rubbing circles into her back.

"Maka, sweetie, do you want to come and sleep with Aunty Marie?" Marie asked. Maka sat up, sniffed and shook her head.

"_No_. I needa stay with you _and_ Uncle Stein, because you need two people to keep the monsters away!" Maka said. Stein raised an eyebrow. Since when was this about monsters?

"I thought you wanted your parents, Maka." Stein said.

"I need them to keep the monsters away… b-but maybe you and Aunty Marie can do it." Maka blinked her eyes quickly, wiping away the tears. Stein looked over at Marie.

"Can't I fend away monsters from the couch?" Stein asked.

"_No!_ You and Aunty Marie have to stay _together._" Maka insisted. Marie sighed and walked out of the room. Stein walked on the side opposite Maka and leant down to whisper in Marie's ear.

"_You sure Spirit hasn't trained her up as an evil little minion?_" he asked. Marie scowled at Stein.

"She's three, Stein." Marie said, putting Maka in the middle of the bed and pulling the covers over her. Maka immediately calmed down as Stein and Marie sat, under the covers, either side of her.

"You keep the monsters away." Maka yawned, turning over.

"Alright, Maka, we will." Marie replied, pulling Maka's hair out of her face.

"_I'll go once she falls asleep._" Stein mouthed. Marie sighed and shook her head.

"Don't. I spent many a night on that couch while Kami was pregnant, when Spirit needed a break from the hour-long vomiting shifts. It's not very comfortable. And I'm nearly a foot shorter than you. Plus, you'd have to go now if that was the case. She's already gone." Marie said.

"Really?" Stein asked, checking the little girl. Sure enough, she was already fast asleep.

"Yeah." Marie smiled

"And you're sure I can sleep here?" Stein asked. Marie nodded.

"It's fine. We're adults. We can control ourselves. _Not_ that t-there's anything _to_ control, of course." Marie clarified, though she may or may not have been lying.

"Of course not." Stein said. Of course there were urges to be controlled. Sleeping in the same bed with a woman as beautiful as Marie brought up a whole set of desires to be held back.

"So, you gonna stay?" Marie asked. She desperately hoped he'd say yes. Even if they weren't going to do anything.

"Fine with me. Plus, if I don't stay here," Stein started, making sure once again that Maka was sleeping, "the monsters are going to eat my goddaughter. And I don't think Spirit and Kami would look too kindly on that, somehow."

"No, that probably wouldn't be the best idea, would it?" Marie replied, a small smile on her face. Stein looked down at Maka, who was curled up in between him and Marie.

"Do you ever want kids, Stein?" Marie asked. Stein shrugged.

"I don't quite understand the concept well enough to answer correctly." Stein said.

"What… you mean _sex?_" Marie asked. Stein rolled his eyes.

"No, Marie. I quite clearly understand that concept." Stein smirked. Marie smiled back, trying not to blush.

What, did she think Stein didn't know what sex was? Of course he did! Oh, how she'd like for him to demonstrate his knowledge of the concept on… No! She couldn't have those thoughts. She focused back on what Stein was saying.

"I mean the concept of having a family," Stein began, "but I do expect that, at some time in my life, I will come to desire a progeny." Marie smiled a little at that.

"I want kids." Marie said. Stein smirked slightly at that.

"Are you offering to let me help?" Stein asked. Marie felt her face becoming hot. To imagine even the _idea _of that… it made her think things that were in no way appropriate thoughts with a three-year-old in the room.

Marie giggled slightly, hiding her thoughts, before yawning. This, in turn, caused Stein to yawn, which made Marie laugh. She had a very cute little laugh, which made Stein laugh. Stein had one of those deep, masculine laughs that turn women into puddles of melted goo. To stop this vicious cycle which would have had Marie blushing like a schoolgirl if she wasn't already, she switched off the light on the bedside table nearest her.

"Goodnight, Stein." Marie said, turning over and pulling the covers over her shoulders.

"Goodnight, Marie." Stein replied, doing the same.

That was the first night that Stein and Marie ever slept together.

**A/N: SEE WHAT I DID THAR? *le creeper face***


	2. Monday: Of Yoghurt And Bathtime

Stein woke up the next morning and found that it was slightly difficult for him to breathe. When his eyes adjusted to the light, he discovered the culprit.

At some time during the night, Maka had crawled on top of him. She was curled up, her head resting at the base of his neck, and one of her arms was around his shoulder.

He grabbed his glasses off the bedside table and turned his head. Marie was still asleep. From what Stein knew, she was usually an early riser. Then again, a lot had gone on yesterday. Looking after a three-year-old was tiring; especially one with parents such as Maka's.

"Maka…?" Stein whispered, to no avail. He gently shook the young girl's shoulder, which caused her green eyes to open wearily.

"U-Uncle Stein?" she yawned, rubbing her eyes.

"It's okay, you can go back to sleep. Just not on me." Stein said, cradling the little girl and ferrying her back to the middle of the mattress.

"It's okay. I'm not sleepy anymore." Maka smiled. Stein sat up, stretching his arms and standing from the mattress. Maka turned to Marie, who was still asleep.

"Why isn't Aunty Marie awake? She should be awake!" Maka asked, looking back at Stein. Stein picked Maka up, looking at Marie and then his goddaughter.

"Let her sleep." Stein replied, causing Maka to frown.

"But-"

"She'll be up soon, I'm sure." Stein said, putting Maka down and being taken aback when she grabbed his hand.

"_I_ show _you_ how to make breakfast." Maka said, adamantly. Stein raised an eyebrow. It was rather emasculating for a twenty-year-old man to be bossed around by a three-year-old girl. But, he decided to go with it, for fear of Maka making a scene and waking Marie if he didn't.

"What do you want for breakfast, Maka?" Stein asked, picking the girl up and sitting her on the counter. Maka looked up in thought as Stein flicked on the kettle.

"Ah… um… I don't know." Maka smiled widely. Stein sighed and his head fell into his hands.

"Well, what do you usually have?" Stein asked. Maka looked at Stein in thought.

"I'm not sure… But, wait! You know that thing where you get the bread and you put it in the magical machine that turns it into bread but hot and crunchy?"

"You mean… a toaster? That turns bread into _toast_?" Stein asked. Maka smiled widely.

"Yes! That one!" Maka said.

"So…" Stein began.

"I don't want that." Maka said. Stein rolled his eyes and sighed.

"Well, instead of telling me what you _don't_ want, why don't you tell me what you _do_ want?" Stein asked.

"Uh… I have the little yoghurts in the fridge that only Mama and Papa can reach. I reached them once and I ate them all, and I was very sick. So Mama and Papa only lets me have one at a time." Maka explained. Stein smirked slightly; she reminded him a lot of Kami, who also felt the need to not just answer a question, but answer it with an anecdote to boot.

"Sounds good. Stay there." Stein said, Maka nodding as she held onto the edge of the counter. Stein walked over to the fridge and opened it, searching for Maka's yoghurt. He found it, and pulled one off, opening it.

"Do you have to eat at the table?" Stein asked, handing Maka the yoghurt and her special spoon, as had been pointed out to him the night before, after dinner.

"Well, Mama says I do, but Papa lets me eat out here. You're more like Papa-"

"Please don't say that." Stein murmured.

"-so I s'pose you could let me sit out here." Maka said. Stein sighed.

"It's easier to keep an eye on you out here." Stein said, sitting Maka further back on the counter so she didn't fall off. Maka happily ate her yoghurt, watching as Stein pulled two coffee cups out of the cupboard.

"Are you making coffee for Aunty Marie?" Maka asked.

"Yes." Stein replied.

"Because you're in love with her?" Maka asked, expectantly. Stein sighed and shook his head.

"I'm not in love with her." Stein remarked, not really wanting to have a conversation about his love life, or lack thereof, with a three-year-old.

"But you sleeped together!" Maka exclaimed. Stein turned to Maka, eyes wide, a stern look on his face nevertheless.

"Do _not_ say that to your father." Stein warned. Maka sighed and continued eating her yoghurt. Marie shuffled out of the bedroom, pulling a lemon-yellow dressing gown around her waist and scratching her head.

"Good morning, you two." Marie yawned, rubbing her eyes.

"Hi, Aunty Marie!" Maka beamed. It was amazing how fast toddlers could wake up. Stein turned to Marie, a sleepy smile appearing on her face when she saw the two coffee cups.

"Still milk, two sugars?" Stein asked. Marie nodded.

"Still black, no sugar?" Marie asked, walking over to Maka.

"Indeed." Stein replied, watching as Marie cleaned up the yoghurt which Maka had managed to spread halfway across her face.

"Did you get any in your mouth?" Marie asked, a slight baby-talk tone to her voice.

"I did, Aunty Marie!" she smiled, like it was an achievement. Marie smiled and grabbed a tissue from the tissue box next to the phone, wiping the yoghurt from Maka's face. Maka smiled.

"Thank you." she said, Marie giving her back the half-full yoghurt container and her spoon.

"Try to get it all in your mouth, this time." Marie said. Maka nodded. Stein walked over to Marie, handing her to coffee cup.

"Thanks, Stein." Marie replied, taking the caffeine graciously, as any young adult who had a full day of looking after a toddler ahead of them would. Marie took a seat at the small table in the kitchen, Stein stayed standing up next to Maka, leaning on the counter.

After a rather in-depth discussion about the television of choice for a three year old, the phone rang.

"I've got it." Stein said, placing his coffee down next to Marie, picking up the phone.

"This is the Albarn residence." he answered.

"_Stein, my man! How is everyone?" _Spirit trilled on the other end of the line. Stein sighed and scratched his head.

"We're all fine. What are you so upbeat about?" Stein asked.

"_Stein, I've already gotten laid more in the past 24 hours than I did during the first six months after Maka was born."_

"That's… Thanks for sharing, Spirit." Stein sighed, shaking his head. He noticed his goddaughter perk up at that name; she knew that Spirit was her papa's name. She motioned for the phone by opening and closing her fists in Stein's direction.

"I think there's someone here who'd like to speak to you." Stein smirked, Maka nodding quickly in response. He held the phone to his shoulder with his head and picked up Maka, handing her the receiver with one hand and keeping her steady with the other.

"Papa?" Maka asked, excitedly.

"_Maka-chan! My baby, how are you?"_

"I good, Papa. Does you and Mama be having fun on holiday?" Maka asked. That question caused Marie and Stein to look at each other, barely biting back laughter.

"_We are having a lot of fun, Maka." _Spirit said, Maka not understanding the innuendo, luckily. Maka smiled widely and kept taking, twirling the phone cord around her tiny fingers.

"Aunty Marie and Uncle Stein be taking very good care of me, Papa." Maka announced.

"_That's good, honey. I trust they would."_

"Where is Mama?" Maka asked.

"_Mama's still asleep, honey. How about we call you tonight?"_

"Okay, Papa!" Maka beamed.

"_Alright, my darling. Hand the phone back to Uncle Stein, now."_

"Alright, Papa. Bye-bye!" Maka exclaimed, handing the phone back to Stein. Stein took it, all while trying to keep hold of Maka. Marie stood up and took the toddler from Stein, earning herself a rare grateful glance.

"Here, how about we go and get you dressed?" Marie asked, putting Maka down on the ground. Maka nodded wildly and took Marie's hand, running into her bedroom. Stein sighed and listened to Spirit speak again.

"_She's been alright?"_

"Of course. She's been fine." Stein replied.

"_Alright. Well, I'd better get back to Kami." _

"I'm not going to ask why." Stein knew better.

"_To have sex." _Spirit told him anyway.

"I sort of figured that one out." Stein sighed, rolling his eyes.

"_Alright. I gotta go. Say hi for Marie for me, yeah?_"

"Will do." Stein responded.

"_You made a move on her, yet?_"

"Shut up." Stein retorted.

"_Alright, alright._"

"Yeah." Stein shook his head.

"_Condoms are in the second drawer, left-hand side table._" Spirit chuckled. Stein growled at the receiver.

"_Goodbye, _Spirit." Stein said, hanging up the phone. He rolled his eyes and leant on the counter. Although Spirit was an idiot, he may have had a point. Stein and Marie had come awfully close to getting together at the end of their senior year at Shibusen. But then, Kami got pregnant, study stepped up for graduation, and it was all too complicated.

Stein shook his head. He decided not to try and do anything. He'd go where the week took him. Whether or not it was to that second drawer, he didn't know.

* * *

><p>"Maka! Oh, goodness me!" Marie stood up, her black t-shirt now sopping wet and sticking to her.<p>

"Oh, no, I sorry, Aunty Marie!" Maka said, her eyes wide with regret, thought the solemnity of her apology was let down by the fact that she was currently sitting in a bath with a bubble beard on.

"No, no, honey, it's okay." Marie said, pulling the t-shirt off and hanging it over the towel rack. Luckily, she was wearing white bike shorts which had been saved from the soaking attack. She couldn't help notice Maka looking at a particular part of her anatomy in… was it _shock?_ She was used to people looking at her _there_, she was well endowed, but it wasn't usually by three-year-olds.

"What's wrong, Maka?" Marie asked, kneeling down next to the bath.

"Are you a big girl, Aunty Marie?" Maka asked. Marie shrugged.

"I suppose I am, Maka. Why?" she replied.

"Because you wear a… a _bra_." Maka said, like it was some holy, reverent thing. Marie sighed with relief when she realised she was looking at the white bra she was wearing, not her… never mind.

"Well, yes. You will, one day, too." Marie said.

"No way!" Maka exclaimed.

"Well, you might have to wait a little longer than other girls. Your mother had to." Marie said. Kami was always quite flat-chested.

"Okay, Aunty Marie!" Maka said, smiling. Marie couldn't quite believe that she'd just had a conversation about bras with a three-year-old.

"Alright, are you ready to get out?" Marie asked.

"Yes." Maka said, reaching her arms out of the bath and into the beckoning towel-covered arms of Marie. She wrapped the panda-pattern towel around the little girl, pulling up the hood over her sandy blonde hair.

"Aunty Marie, I a panda!" Maka babbled happily. Marie giggled and held Maka against her hip, pulling her toothbrush out of the cupboard.

"Can you put your own toothpaste on?" Marie asked. Maka nodded and, picking up the tube, squeezed a small amount of her junior pink toothpaste on the head of the brush.

"Okay, now, give me a big smile." Marie said. Maka grinned, baring all of her teeth for Marie to brush. After brushing her teeth and holding her over the sink to spit, Marie put Maka down on the ground.

"Get your pyjama on, then when you're done; get Uncle Stein to read you Princess Sparkles." Marie said. Maka nodded and, still clad in her panda towel, ran off to her room. Marie leant over the bath to pull out the plug, but she was standing on the soaked bathmat, so when her body twisted but the mat stayed put…

"_Aah!"_

Marie's scream was muffled when she tumbled into the bath, her legs flying up in the air as she pulled her head to the surface.

"Marie? What ha-" Stein suddenly found himself unable to talk when he saw the sight before him.

Marie, incidentally wearing the most see-through colour of them all, white, had fallen in the bath. She was only wearing shorts and a bra, both of which were soaked, not to mention becoming rapidly transparent. To add to the scene, Marie's legs were up in the air.

"Help?" she squeaked. Stein wasn't sure he could move. Eventually, his brain jump-started again, and he managed to move forward, leaning down and feeling two long, slender, damp arms wrap around his neck. He helped Marie to her feet, allowing her to step out of the bath. He averted his eyes as he handed Marie a towel.

"Thanks. I'm such an idiot." Marie laughed to herself. Stein still couldn't respond coherently.

"Mmhm. I-I'll put Maka to bed." Stein mumbled, walking out of the room and staring at the floor the whole time. He shut the door around, resting against the wall outside the bathroom.

No matter what he tried, he couldn't get the vision of the soaking wet, half-naked Marie out of his head. He _had _to think about something else. He had to get his mind off of it before his body followed suit in showing how he felt about it. And not just in the form of a bloody nose, either. In a completely and utterly more embarrassing way.

Tennis. Shoelaces. Studying. No. It didn't work.

There was only one sure-fire way to bore Stein so far out of his brains that he wouldn't be focused enough to remember what happened behind that bathroom door. He walked down the hallway and into one of the bedrooms.

"Maka, are you ready for Princess Sparkles yet?"

**A/N: … Shoelaces? Yeah, because when **_**I **_**want to prevent a boner, I think about shoelaces.  
>I'll shut up now.<strong>


	3. Tuesday: Of Playdates And Ponies

**Chapter 3: Tuesday: Of Playdates and Ponies**

**A/N: I don't own My Little Pony.**

"But I don't _wanna_ play with them! They're boys!" Maka exclaimed, looking at Marie. Marie sighed.

"Mama and Papa said that you had to come to this playdate. And there's nothing wrong with the boys. You'll be alright." Marie explained. She and Stein were taking Maka to her fortnightly playdate with a couple of the local kids. Walking through a familiar door at the school they, themselves, attended just a few years ago, the three of them walked in to an office of familiar faces.

"Stein-kun? Marie-chan?" Shinigami-sama asked. Stein tried to herd Maka over to where the two boys; Black*Star and Death the Kid, were playing, to not much avail. He ended up with her clutching onto his leg, not wanting to play with the blue-haired boy and the shinigami.

"We're house-sitting and looking after Maka for Spirit and Kami. They're on a vacation." Marie explained, turning to her left and catching the eye of some familiar faces, sitting around on chairs which were not usually in the Death Room.

"Mira, Sid!" she smiled, not having seen the two for a few months.

"And how is the little one?" Marie asked. Mira chuckled slightly.

"He's rambunctious, to say the least. He's got Sid wrapped around his little finger." Mira crossed her arms, smiling backwards at her partner, who rolled his eyes. Mira then glanced over at Stein, who had been taken hostage by the three children, and was currently sitting in a rather demoralising, tiny chair.

"So, 'house-sitting' with Franken, are we?" she asked. Marie growled.

"It's just that; house-sitting." Marie insisted. Mira nodded.

"Sure it is." Mira mumbled. Marie rolled her eyes.

"Why does everyone think we're dating or… or _sleeping together_?" Marie asked.

"Oh, I don't know, maybe it's the fact that you two have enough pent-up sexual tension to power the entire of Death City to the end of time itself?" Mira asked. Marie sighed and crossed her arms, scowling at Mira.

"It's just house-sitting." she insisted.

Meanwhile, Stein was intently watching a debate between the three-year-olds regarding the game they should play.

"We should play Mamas and Papas!" Maka insisted, crossing her arms.

"No! We should play chasey!" Black*Star yelled back, his high-pitched voice trilling through the ears of everyone in the room.

"No! We should clean up all the toys so they are in order!" Kid cried. Maka shook her head.

"Mamas and Papas!" Maka yelled, standing up, her pigtails angrily bobbing with her head.

"Chasey!" Black*Star yelled.

"I'll order the toys by _myself!" _Kid huffed, sitting with the small box of toys his father had brought into the office.

"Mamas and Papas is the best game to play! I can be Mama, Kid can be Papa, and you can be the _stupid_ baby." Maka said, clenching her fists.

"No! I don't' wanna be the stupid baby. Just because you _love_ Kid!" Black*Star called.

"I don't love Kid! He has boy germs!" Maka glared. She wouldn't risk liking the young shinigami, just in case boy's germs were real. But, as far as those of the male gender went, Kid was one of the nicest.

At that exact, haunting moment, olive green and dark aqua eyes bored into the very depth of Stein's soul.

"What's the best game, Uncle Stein? Mamas and Papas or _stupid_ chasey?" Maka asked.

"Hey, no fair! Chasey ain't stupid, and he's your uncle! We should ask Mr. Sid!" Black*Star called.

"But he's like your papa!" Maka called. Black*Star growled.

"_Help me._" Stein mouthed to Sid, Mira and Marie, Mira walking over to him.

"They do this every fortnight. They always end up the best of friends, though." Mira explained, kneeling down to the three-year-olds eye levels.

"Black*Star, Maka… Kid, come over here." Mira said, the shinigami turning around and scuttling over to the group of kids.

"Okay, how about you play Mamas and Papas first, then chasey? Then, at the end, you can all pack up the toys and make them neat." Mira suggested. The kids all looked at each other.

"Yeah!" Maka called.

"Okay." the slightly more bashful Kid said.

"_Yahoo!"_ Black*Star called, clapping his hands together happily. The kids all walked off and began to play. Stein turned to Mira, a look of shock and admiration on his face.

"How do you do that?" Stein asked. Mira shook her head, helping Stein up from the ridiculously small seat he was on.

"Far too many weeks of watching them come to the exact same conclusion, Franken." Mira said, crossing her arms and walking back over to where Marie and Sid were sitting. Mira resumed her seat next to Sid, Stein next to Marie.

"So, I gather Spirit and Kami are having a good time?" Mira asked, looking over at Stein.

"I've not yet gone a phone call that hasn't alerted me to all the sex they've been having." Stein remarked. Marie smiled and sighed.

"They haven't had time to themselves since Maka was born." Marie said, sitting back on the chair. Sid sat forward and glanced over at Marie.

"You see they're talking about the current Oceanian Deathscythe retiring in a year or two, Marie?" Sid asked. Marie's eye widened.

She really wanted to retire, get married and have a family, but eventually, she'd get called up for work if that didn't happen. Seeing as it looked highly unlikely, Oceania was a premium, low-impact zone to be the Deathscythe of. Plus, Australia had some kick-ass beaches, and seeing as Death City was in no way coastal, Oceania would allow Marie to show off that bikini she'd bought and worn only once.

"Really?" Marie asked. Sid nodded.

"Your name's been thrown around as a replacement." Sid said.

"Me? Really? Wow, that'd be… that'd be amazing." Marie mused, in shock. Stein's eyes widened at that statement as well.

Marie was one of the very few people he could honestly call a friend. Hell, when Spirit was being an idiot, which was most of the time, she was pretty much his only friend. And the prospect of her moving away scared him. And _nothing_ scared Stein.

"Mmhm. Purely speculatory, though. Just thought you should know." Sid replied, looking over at the kids.

"No! _Black*Star!_" Sid called, standing from his seat and running over to the blue-haired toddler, picking him up.

"Kid is _not_ a horse! You cannot jump on him!" Sid said in a mildly stern tone, chastising Black*Star. Black*Star's eyes began to water. Sid's eyes widened.

_Oh no, _Sid knew what was going to happen.

Black*Star proceeded to burst out crying, throwing his fists around and kicking his tiny feet.

"Mr. Sid, you're so mean!" Black*Star yelled, but he immediately stopped when the authoritative Naigus walked over to the two, glaring at Black*Star.

"M-M-Ms Naigus…" Black*Star stammered. Naigus snarled.

"You _do not_ speak like that to Mr. Sid." Naigus said. Black*Star knew what was coming next and, before Naigus could say anything, he apologised to Sid.

"I'm sorry." he snivelled. Sid nodded and waited until Naigus walked off to respond.

"_It's okay. I love you."_ Sid whispered, the little boy's fright dissipating at his much-less disciplinary guardian. Sid then put him back down, watching him scamper back over to the two other toddlers. Sid walked over to Naigus.

"You're too soft on that boy." Naigus said. Sid sighed.

"How can I not be?" Sid asked. Sid was right; the boy was very cute. Naigus, however, would not have a three-year-old picking on her man.

"You're such a softie. I swear, I feel like the man in this relationship." Naigus crossed her arms.

"You certainly don't _look_ like the man in the relationship." Sid replied, causing Naigus to look away for fear of blushing.

"Don't even. There are people around." Naigus said, the private person in her jumping out. Marie looked over at them and sighed, before looking at Stein. He had a distant look on his face.

"You still here?" She clicked her fingers in front of his face. He could smell her lotion on her hands. It smelt quite pleasant, actually.

"Huh, what?" Stein asked, falling back to Earth and looking at Marie.

"No, it's okay. Just wanted to make sure you were still with us." Marie smiled sweetly. Stein would be repulsed if anyone else treated him like Marie did. But he wasn't repulsed by her. It was odd… but he liked it.

"No, Uncle Stein, Pinkie Pie and Apple Jack are the lost ones! How do you not know that?" Maka asked, sitting in between Marie and Stein on the couch.

"I've no idea how that could have possibly slipped my mind." Stein replied in a sarcastic drawl. Marie smacked the silver haired man on the arm.

"Just watch." Marie whispered, Maka slowly falling onto her lap, drifting in and out of alertness.

"I don't exactly think _My Little Pony_ is aimed at my demographic." Stein replied. Marie glanced over at him, standing up and holding Maka, her head buried into Marie's blonde hair.

"Is anything?" she asked, smiling slightly before walking to Maka's room to put her to bed. Stein rejoiced in being able to take out the DVD of the infernal, coloured equines and to change the channel to… well, _anything_ else, really.

Marie came back a few minutes afterwards, having changed into pyjama bottoms and a hooded jacket over only her bra. She sat back down on the couch, flopping backwards and crossing her legs under her.

"What are we watching?" she asked. Stein shrugged.

"Anything that's not _My Little Pony, _really." Stein replied. Marie giggled slightly.'

"It must be a three-year-old thing." Marie replied, leaning over Stein's lap and grabbing the remote. She sat back, pulling her legs to her chest and generally channel surfing. After she'd cycled through the channels at least three times, Stein spoke up.

"Are you really serious about Oceania?" he asked, quietly, trying to hide the worry he felt about it.

"I don't know. I mean, it doesn't look like I'm retiring any time soon." Marie replied. Stein sat back.

"Why not?" Stein asked. Marie looked over at Stein and was able to discern some emotion in his eyes; something unfamiliar to her but probably even more unfamiliar to he, himself. She switched off the television and turned to him.

"Well, you've got to have reason to retire. I don't have severe injuries. I don't have another career, because, apparently, part-time waitressing at Deathbucks doesn't count." Marie began, smiling slightly.

"That's preposterous. It's obviously an open-ended, limitless career." Stein replied, sarcastically. Marie smiled.

"I know, right? But, anyway, no injuries, no career… and the only other reason to retire would be because I was married, or had a family." Marie sighed.

"Oh." Stein managed. Marie noticed the tweak in his voice.

"But it wouldn't be for a couple of years. And even then," Marie said, her hand inadvertently covering Stein's, "I'd still keep in contact with you. And Spirit, Kami, Maka… everyone." Stein looked down at Marie's grasp on his hand.

"I know." he replied. Marie removed her hand from Stein's only to lean over and flick the television back on. She clasped her hands in her lap and looked at Stein, obviously not turning the television on to watch it.

"Did you like me at Shibusen?" Marie asked, quietly. Stein looked down at her and, swallowing his pride, answered.

"I-I think so. To an extent that I could understand… yes." he replied. Marie felt her face getting hot at that.

"Really?" she asked, slightly puzzled as to why he'd like her, out of all people.

"Yes, Marie. Did you-"

"Yes." she replied, without Stein even having to finish his question. Stein couldn't help but smile at that.

"Do you know that Maka asked if we were married when we first got here?" Stein asked. Marie looked up at Stein and laughed slightly.

"Seriously?" Marie asked.

"Oh, yes. Then she got all upset and indignant when I told her we weren't." Stein replied.

"That girl… she's a lot like her father. She might be able to deal with the fact that she's like him now, but when she's a teenager…" Marie sighed, sinking back further into the couch.

"What are we watching?" Stein asked, crossing his arms. Marie shrugged.

"I don't know. But it's nearly eleven at night, so it's probably something suss." Marie said. The two of them decided to chance the program for a while, but when the woman came out to her interview wearing a bridle and whinnying, a man clad in leather standing behind her, they decided to switch channels. They didn't need to watch _that_. Not together, anyway.

"That was… interesting." Marie stammered, flicking through the channels. Stein raised an eyebrow.

"Didn't know they even _made_ bridles that would fit humans." Stein said. Marie giggled slightly.

"Only _you_ would analyse that." Marie smirked, eventually finding something to watch. However, it was late at night, and the show wasn't very interesting. Before Stein knew it, Marie had fallen asleep on his shoulder.

"Marie?" he asked, but she simply shrugged and groaned.

"I'm asleep." she mumbled, taking a hold of Stein's arm and sighing. Stein stood up, pulling Marie lazily to her feet with him.

"We're gonna walk now, okay?" Stein asked. Marie sighed, smacking her lips twice before yawning.

"Where's Stein gone?" Marie asked, resting all of her weight against Stein who basically had to drag her to bed.

"I'm right here." Stein replied, to no avail.

"Pssht! You're not Stein." Marie said, Stein laying her down on the bed.

"I was, last time I checked." Stein said. Marie yawned before pulling the covers over herself, sighing.

"No, you're not. I hope you're not going to," Marie giggled before continuing, "_take advantage _of me."

"Never." Stein said, laying Marie down on the bed and pulling the quilt over her.

"You could if you wanted to." she mumbled. Stein shook his head.

"Go to sleep, Marie." he insisted. Marie's eyes opened completely and she yawned.

"Oh, Stein, you're here." she said. Stein sighed and walked around to the other side of the bed.

"I never left you. I've been here the whole time." Stein sat facing away from Marie as he said that, his words taking on a whole other meaning as they came out of his mouth.

Marie wasn't awake to hear it.


	4. Wednesday: Of Swimming and Near Misses

"Are you ready, Maka?" Stein asked, leaning against the wall outside of Maka's bedroom, the door shut. Maka was in there getting her bathers on. She had a swimming lesson today, and wanted to get dressed by herself.

"Uhh…" Maka replied, nervously. Stein sighed and dropped his arms to his sides.

"Do I need to get Aunty Marie?" Stein asked.

"Yahuh!" Maka replied. Stein sighed and walked down the corridor to Marie. He knocked on the door, which was also shut.

"Who is it?" Marie asked.

"Murderer. Let me in." Stein replied. Marie sighed and opened the door with one hand, the other clutching her bikini top to her chest.

"Do me up, then we'll talk." Marie said, turning around. Stein rolled his eyes and sighed, not quite knowing how to go about this situation.

"You do know how to do that, right?" Marie asked. Stein sighed and shook his head.

"Of course I do. I'm not completely inept." Stein said, taking the two strings which held Marie's bikini top up and tying them neatly.

"Thanks." Marie said, turning back around.

"Are you swimming as well?" Stein asked. Marie shrugged.

"May as well. Now, what was it you were after?" Marie asked, pulling on a yellow t-shirt. Stein nodded and walked down the corridor, Marie following. He stopped at Maka's closed door.

"Maka, Aunty Marie is here." he called.

"Uh, Aunty Marie, I in a perdicament." Maka called. Marie turned to Stein.

"She means 'predicament', right?" Marie asked. Stein nodded.

"She's three. How does she know what 'predicament' means?" Marie asked.

"I think you'll find she said 'perdicament.'" Stein remarked. Marie narrowed her eyes before turning back to the door.

"I'm coming in, okay, Maka?" Marie asked.

"O-Okay." Maka replied. Marie creaked open the door to see that Maka sure was in a 'perdicament.'

"… Help?" Maka squeaked. Marie sighed and knelt down. Somehow, Maka had mistaken the leg-hole in her swimming costume for the hole she was supposed to put her head through.

"Oh, Maka, sweetheart." Marie shut the door behind her and knelt down to Maka, taking the swimming costume and pulling it completely over her head.

"Oh, that's much better, Aunty Marie, thanks!" Maka beamed.

"That's alright, honey. Now, let's try to put it on the right way, 'kay?" Marie asked. Maka nodded and stepped into the fluorescent costume, turning around to let Marie put her arms into it and zip it up.

"Better?" Marie asked. Maka nodded and hugged her godmother.

"Thanks, Aunty Marie." she said, smiling widely. Marie smiled and stood up, walking out of the room and passing Stein.

"Yeah, she had the leg-hole around her neck." Marie said. Stein smirked slightly and shook his head.

"How did she even do that?" Stein asked, walking back down the corridor to the bedroom, following Marie.

"I, honestly, have no idea." Marie said. Stein chuckled and sat down on the bed, crossing his arms.

"Why don't you go swimming too, Stein?" Marie asked. Stein chuckled once more.

"I don't do swimming, Marie." Stein remarked. Marie crossed her arms and pouted ever-so-slightly.

"Why not? Give me one good reason." Marie said. Stein stood up and crossed his arms, towering over Marie. To put it simply, Stein was tall. Marie was not. Marie had been the shortest in her year level, the shortest in the E.A.T class and the shortest in her graduating year. That fabled growthh spurt just never hit her.

"I don't have to justify to you, Mjolnir." Stein said, a small smirk on his face. Though she tried very hard to be serious, she couldn't help but break out a smirk as well.

"Don't you just?" she asked. Stein shook his head.

"I really don't." Stein said. Marie sighed and dropped her arms.

"I don't see why not. It's good exercise, it's not outdoors, so you won't get burnt, I'm sure you've got a good enough body for it, and I-"

"Sorry?" Stein cut in. Marie turned to Stein, raising an eyebrow. Stein chuckled.

"You said, and I quote, 'I'm sure you've got a good enough body for it.'" Stein said. Marie's face rapidly turned a pink hue and she turned away from the silver haired meister.

"Shut up." Marie said, defiantly. Stein chuckled and walked around to face the hammer.

"Come on - There's no shame in admitting you want me." Stein smirked widely. Marie's scowl deepened.

"I _will_ punch you, Franken Stein." Marie crossed her arm. Stein nodded.

"I'm sure you will, Marie Mjolnir." Stein remarked. Marie clenched her fist and went to swing at Stein's arm, but he grabbed her punch before it could connect. Marie sighed and dropped her hand.

"I wasn't even trying." Marie said, a smile returning on her face, Stein noticed. Stein smirked back at her and nodded.

"Of course. I'll go check on Maka." Stein said. Marie nodded and gave a small smile, and as Stein turned to leave, spoke up.

"I wouldn't have punched you, you know." Marie said. Stein smirked.

"I know." Stein replied, walking down the corridor and meeting Maka as she walked out of her bedroom, a wide smile on her face. Stein knelt down to her eye level and pushed his glasses over the bridge of his nose.

"Are you out of your 'perdicament' now, Maka?" Stein asked. Maka nodded.

"I am." she smiled.

"Well, that's lucky. Go and get your towel, okay?" Stein asked. Maka nodded and ran out of the kitchen. Just as Stein went to sit down, he heard a bang and an almighty cry ring out from around the corner. He sprang to his feet and ran around the corner to see Maka on the ground, crying uncontrollably and clutching a reddening spot on her forehead.

"Maka…" Stein knelt down next to the little girl and tilted her head up gently, her teary green eyes blinking quickly.

"I hurted myself!" she exclaimed, through gasping sobs. Stein pulled her hand away from her face and examined her injury.

"You're going to be alright, Maka." Stein said. Maka looked up at Stein, having stopped crying. However, this was short-lived, and she burst out crying again, stretching out her arms and opening and closing her fists impatiently.

"Uncle Stein!" she cried out, her sobs becoming so violent that she began to cough. Stein scooped her up and held her close to his chest.

"Shh, shh, Maka... you're alright now." Stein said, cradling Maka and trying to soothe her cries. As he turned around, the toddler's cries fading, he saw Marie with a shocked look on her face.

"Wh-What happened?" Marie asked, shakily.

"She's okay. he slipped and hit her head, that's all." Stein said. Marie took a sharp breath in and walked toward Maka.

"Honey… do you still want to go swimming?" Marie asked. Maka looked up and nodded, wiping the tears from her eyes.

"Yes please, Aunty Marie." she said, the tears almost completely gone from her eyes.

"Okay." Marie nodded, before glaning up at Stein, nervously.

"She's going to be fine, Marie." Stein gave a small, genuine, reassuring smile. Marie calmed slightly at this, but she was still shaken. However, before she could worry further, Maka had perked up once more.

"C'mon, Aunty Marie! Don't be a slowpoke!"

* * *

><p>"And so, Princess Sparkles, Prince Courage and the Happy Fun Elf finally made it to the Magical Castle of Love. The end." Stein finished, shutting the storybook and sliding it back on the shelf. Maka smiled sleepily and put her hand over Stein's. Stein turned to the little girl, puzzled at her actions.<p>

"I sorry I pushed you into the pool, Uncle Stein." Maka said, sheepishly. Stein shook his head and chuckled.

"You didn't mean to, Maka. It's fine." Stein replied. Maka gave a small sigh of relief.

"Somebody pushed me, and then I pushed you. I no mean it." Maka said. Stein nodded.

"I know, Maka." Stein smirked. Maka nodded.

"But why did Aunty Marie laugh?" Maka asked. Stein grumbled and crossed his arms. He grit his teeth and disguised it as a smile.

"Because she's a lovely, sweet person." Stein said. Maka's eyes widened and she clenched her fists in anticipation.

"And you love her?" Maka asked. Stein sighed and dropped his arms.

"Goodnight, Maka." Stein said, pulling the covers up over Maka's shoulders. Maka sighed contentedly and closed her eyes. Stein stood from the bed and quietly walked out of the room, shutting the door around but not closing it completely. He took off his glasses and rubbed the bridge of his nose, shuffling up the corridor and towards the bedroom.

However, when he got to the closed door of the bedroom, he heard sobbing. He walked over to the door and knocked on it gently.

"Marie?" he asked. No answer. He slowly opened the door and looked in the room to see Marie, her knees pulled up to her chest, sobbing into a pillow.

"Marie… what's wrong?" Stein asked, walking over to and sitting next to the hammer. Marie shook her head and buried her face further into the pillow. Stein rested his arm around Marie's shoulder.

"Come on, Marie… what's wrong?" Stein asked, pulling Marie from her curled-up position to lean against him. Her head still dropped but she began to speak.

"I… I just… Maka falling over, earlier, I…" Marie continued to sob, having crossed into the uncontrollable. Stein sighed and held her closer to his chest.

"Marie, it wasn't your fault. And she's fine." Stein reassured her.

"But she's under our care, Stein. The first time someone entrusts me with the care of their child and she gets hurt." Marie said. Stein shook his head.

"Marie, it was not your fault. You know that. It was an accident. They happen all the time." Stein said. Marie blinked up at Stein before glancing away.

"I just-" Marie stopped speaking when Stein pressed his hand to the side of her face, gently coercing her to look at him once more.

"It wasn't your fault. And I know she worried us for a bit there. But we couldn't have prevented it. And she's okay. That's the best we could have hoped for." Stein said. Marie's eyes widened and she felt a pang in her stomach.

Not of illness.

Not of anger.

It was that feeling of butterflies, the feeling that she'd experienced when she'd first me the lanky, silver-haired meister at Shibusen that she grew to love.

"Stein, I…" Marie stopped talking once more when she realised the growing closeness between herself and the man before her. It was only a matter of time before Marie's hand was against Stein's cheek, her thumb trailing over his brow and the scar that ran along his face. Marie felt the gentle pull of Stein's hand, guiding her lips towards-

"Aunty Marie?" a voice asked. Stein and Marie very nearly leapt away from each other, Marie to her feet and Stein sprawling awkwardly sideways across the bed.

"What is it, Maka?" Marie asked, walking over to Maka, kneeling down and taking her hand.

"I… I heard you crying, Aunty Marie." Maka said, quietly. Marie sighed and kissed Maka on the forehead, just above her bruise.

"Oh, honey. I'm okay now. I was just worried about your head." Marie said. Maka smiled and hugged Marie tightly.

"I'm okay, Aunty Marie." Maka whispered. Marie smiled and hugged the girl back.

"Are you going to go back to bed, Maka?" Marie asked. Maka looked down at the stuffed rabbit she was holding.

"Uhh…" Maka said to herself.

"What's wrong, honey?" Marie asked. Maka looked up at her godmother.

"There's a spider in my room."

"_Okay_, you are staying in here tonight." Marie said, picking up the little girl. Marie turned around and laid Maka in the middle of the bed, gently.

"Will the spider be gone tomorrow, Aunty Marie?" Maka asked as Marie laid atop the quilt, putting her arm around the toddler.

"I don't think he'll stick around very long, Maka." Marie smiled Maka gave a small sigh of relief.

"You tired?" Marie asked as Maka yawned and nodded.

"I sleep now." Maka said, shutting her eyes.

"Alright. Goodnight, sweetie." Marie said, kissing Maka on the forehead and letting her snuggle up to her side. Marie glanced over at Stein, both of them still completely aware of what would have happened had Maka not walked in.

"I can't make her sleep in her room if there's a spider." Marie said. Stein smirked and nodded.

"You always did hate spiders, didn't you?" Stein asked. Marie nodded.

"Yes. Still do." Marie said, shuddering slightly.

"There's nothing wrong with spiders, Marie." Stein replied, turning over to face her.

"I don't trust anything with eight eyes. Nor eight legs." Marie said. Stein shrugged and gave a small smirk.

"Fair enough." Stein replied. Marie sighed and bit the bullet.

"Stein, about before, I…" Marie trailed off.

"No, it's alright. Really." Stein said, sincerely. Marie nodded and glanced down at Maka, who was fast asleep.

"I think she's got the right idea." Marie said, deftly slipping her legs under the quilt and flipping off the light.

"Goodnight, Marie." Stein said, glancing over at the blonde. She gave a small, sleepy smile and watched as Stein shut his eyes, pulling the covers over his shoulders. Marie sat herself up ever so slightly.

"Goodnight, Maka." she leant down and kissed Maka on the nose, causing her to scrunch it up in a half-asleep stupor. Marie then leant over the toddler, gently kissing Stein's temple.

"Goodnight, Stein." she whispered before sliding back under the quilt.

**A/N: So… did anyone get the **_**Stitches**_** series reference in there?  
>No? Go back to when Stein is comforting Marie. Then get back to me. :D<strong>


	5. Thursday: Of Skeletons and Kisses

"Aunty Marie… what's Uncle Stein doing?" Maka whispered in in her godmother's ear as they both poked their head out of Maka's bedroom door. Stein was sitting at the kitchen table, scrawling notes from a thick textbook down in a notebook. Marie finished doing up the buttons on Maka's shirt as she explained.

"Well," Marie began, "Uncle Stein is studying to be a doctor. And you have to do a lot of hard work to be a doctor." Marie said. Stein was preparing for his third year of a medical degree, which was due to start in a few weeks.

"You mean like a doctor who fixes people?" Maka asked. Marie couldn't help but hesitate before nodding. When she did nod, however, it was definite. Stein had worked extremely hard to keep his internal madness at bay in order to be able to study. And, for the most part, he had done well. It was on one of the occasions where he lost control that he acquired the self-inflicted scar that ran across his face.

"Just like a doctor who fixes people." Marie smiled. Maka smiled back at her and looked at her with expectant eyes.

"D… Do you think I can go see what he's doing?" Maka asked, nervously. Marie glanced at the clock. Stein had been studying for quite a while now. He probably needed a break.

"I think he'll show you if you go and ask very nicely, honey." Marie said. Maka gave a little squeak of content. She turned to leave her room but stopped to look back at Marie.

"Can you come with me?" Maka asked, wringing her tiny hands. It wasn't that she was scared of Stein, the exact opposite, in actual fact. She just hated barging in on people and interrupting them, which didn't help to quell her inquisitive nature. Marie smiled and nodded, taking Maka's hand and walking over to the kitchen table.

"Stein?" Marie asked. Stein looked up at Marie and then down at Maka, giving them a small, exhausted smile.

"Yes?" Stein asked back. Marie looked down at Maka, who in turn, looked up at Stein.

"Whatcha doing, Uncle Stein?" Maka asked, her hands swinging at her sides. Stein nodded and pulled over a chair, patting it in order to beckon Maka to it. She clambered up on the chair, but was a little too small to see over the table.

"Just a second." Marie said, walking into the lounge room, grabbing a pillow and returning to the kitchen.

"Hop up for a second, sweetie." Marie said to her goddaughter, who stood up off the chair. Marie placed the pillow on the chair and lifted Maka up to sit straight on it.

"There you go, honey." Marie said. Maka smiled widely and looked over at Stein's textbook.

"Is that a people?" Maka asked, pointing to the skeleton that graced the page.

"It's a person, yes." Stein replied. Maka's eyes were still affixed in a quizzical gaze.

"But… why don't I look like that? Does… does that mean I'm not a person?" Maka asked, nervously. Stein shook his head and gave a small, reassuring smile.

"No, Maka. That's what you look like on the inside." Stein replied. Maka gave a small sigh of relief.

"Uncle Stein?" Maka asked once more.

"Yes, Maka?" Stein looked down at the sandy haired toddler.

"Does you have to be very smart to be a doctor?" Maka asked. Stein chuckled.

"Not really, I mean, _I'm_ doing it, after a-" Just as Stein's teeth parted to make way for his tongue to make an 'l' sound, Marie clamped her hand over his mouth. Ever so professionally ignoring the fact that Stein had just licked her, Marie leant down to Maka's level.

"Uncle Stein is _very_ smart, and you have to be that to become a doctor." Marie said, causing Maka's eyes to widen.

"Really?" Maka asked. Stein rolled his eyes and pulled Marie's hand away from his face by her wrist.

"I think Aunty Marie is greatly overestimating my abilities." Stein said, glancing up at the blonde behind him. Marie pouted and crossed her arms.

"Don't listen to what he's saying. He's a genius, Maka. And on that fun little topic of conversation, I've got to go and call your mama." Marie kissed Maka on the forehead and gave a mischevious grin to the silver haired man.

"Thanks for that, Marie." Stein crossed his arms, but Marie simply giggled and walked up to the phone in the bedroom.

"… Is you a genius?" Maka asked. Stein sighed. Technically, yes, he was, but he was never one to flaunt his intelligence. He, however, didn't want to lie to the girl. He simply nodded, and Maka gasped. After a few seconds, Maka spoke up once more.

"… What's a genius?" Maka asked. Stein sighed and clasped his hands.

"A genius is somebody with a very high IQ. An IQ is," Stein sighed, trying to work out how to explain this to a three-year-old, "it's how smart a person can be. But, it doesn't mean that they're super smart. Some geniuses are very silly people." Stein said. Maka sighed and looked up at Stein.

"Is you a silly genius?" Maka asked. Stein smirked and sighed. His mind couldn't help but drift back to letting go of Marie when they were so close to getting together at Shibusen.

"Very, Maka," Stein said, "Very."

Meanwhile, Marie was on the phone to Kami.

"So, you two are having a good time, I trust?" Marie asked, holding the phone against her ear with her shoulder, painting her nails a golden colour.

"_Oh, Death, Marie it's… I mean, I love Maka to death, but it's just so nice to get away." _

"I trust you're referring to the sex?" Marie asked. Kami laughed with an audible sigh.

"_Am I that easy to read?" _

"Well, no, but every time your husband rings Maka, he ends up talking to Stein and ends up telling him just how much sex you've been having." Marie said. Kami sighed.

"_Of course he does. Speaking of, have you gotten anywhere with Stein, my darling?_"

"Well…" Marie bit her lip, and she heard Kami gasp on the other end of the line.

"_Marie Mjolnir, you tell me everything and you tell me __**now**__." _

"Kami, it's nowhere near as awe-inspiring as you're making it out to be. We talked, and we, you know… we acknowledged it." Marie said. Kami sighed.

"_God, why don't you just jump him already?"_

"Because he's my friend. And there's a three-year-old in the house." Marie said. Kami sighed, before she began to laugh.

"Kami?" Marie asked. Kami continued to giggle.

"_Oh, Marie, I- Spirit, get back here! – Sorry, honey, I've got to go. Give everyone my love!" _

"Alright, Kami." Marie said.

"_If you and Stein haven't screwed by the time we get back, I'll be very disappointed."_

"Bye, honey." Marie hung up the phone and sighed. She blew on her nails and swung her legs over the side of the bed. She was met by a smirking Stein, who had Maka holding his hand.

"Have fun." he grinned. Marie raised an eyebrow, kneeling down to Maka, who had an inquisitive look on her face.

"What is it, honey?" Marie asked. Maka took a deep breath in.

"Are you a Deathscythe?" Maka asked. Marie nodded.

"Yes, I am." Marie smiled. Maka's eyes widened, and she waited for a minute before speaking up again.

"What's a Deathscythe?" Maka asked. Marie's eyes widened and she heard Stein chuckle. She scowled up at him, making sure she hid the expression from the toddler.

"I'd love to stay, but I've got to study." Stein smirked. Marie shook her head and sighed.

"Alright. You go _study_." Marie said, hiding her derision with a wide grin. Stein just chuckled and walked out of the room as Marie looked down at Maka.

"Right. Deathscythes." she began.

* * *

><p>"Marie, you okay?" Stein asked, Maka sitting next to him, drawing on a piece of cardboard. Marie sighed and groaned leaning back on the couch.<p>

"Don't mind me. This happens every once in a while." Marie clutched at her stomach. Stein raised an eyebrow.

"You sure?" Stein asked. Marie nodded.

"It's just the pill. It makes me nauseous sometimes. It'll pass." Marie waved her hand in front of her face. Stein, managing to completely ignore any improper thoughts that popped up at the cause of Marie's symptom, offered some sound medical advice.

"You probably want to go and lie down. You don't want to be all cramped up like that." Stein said. Marie nodded and pulled herself to a standing position.

"Yeah, that's probably a good idea." Marie yawned and began the slow trudge up to the bedroom. Maka blinked up at Stein, a worried look on her face.

"Is Aunty Marie okay?" Maka asked. Stein nodded and put his hands in his pockets.

"She's alright, Maka." Stein said. Maka blinked quickly and clasped her hands.

"D'you think I could go see her?" Maka asked Stein quietly. Stein sighed and nodded.

"Just make sure you're really, really quiet, okay?" Stein asked.

"Okay." Maka said.

"You look after her for me, alright?" Stein asked. Maka nodded, smiling, and began to exaggeratedly tip-toe up to the bedroom. When she got there, she saw Marie lying on her side, her eyes gently closed. Maka gave a small, feminine cough, causing Marie's eyes to open slightly.

"Hello there." Marie smiled. Maka bashfully smiled back.

"I just wanted to make sure you okay." Maka said, wringing her hands. Marie patted the bed, inviting Maka over to sit with her.

"I not going to hurt you, right?" Maka asked. Marie shook her head.

"Of course you aren't, honey." Marie said. Maka walked towards the bed, and Marie leant over to help her up. The toddler gently lay along the curve of Marie's body, her head resting on Marie's arm.

"I be looking after you for Uncle Stein." Maka said. Marie smiled and nodded, her eyes shutting as she and Maka fell asleep.

* * *

><p>When Marie woke up a few hours later, she turned over gently, as not to wake Maka, but felt an arm around her waist. Her eyes widened and she contorted her neck to see the silver-haired man behind her.<p>

"Stein?" she whispered. She got no response. Marie gently shook Stein's shoulder, causing him to flip onto his back.

"Marie?" he gasped with his first, alert breath.

"Hi, there." Marie said, glancing down at Stein's hold on her waist. Stein noticed, and his eyes widened as he jumped backwards, pinning his arms at his sides.

"Sorry, I didn't mean to, I just-" Stein fretted before Marie started giggling.

"What?" Stein asked. Marie smiled and shook her head, watching as, when she sat up, Maka curled up in her lap.

"It's fine, Stein." Marie said, without exactly realising what she had just said.

"O-Okay?" Stein tried desperately to find the right response. What Marie had said finally registered in her mind, and she felt herself begin to blush. She threw her head forward and her hands covered her face as she began to giggle.

"That's not what I-"

"It's fine, Marie." Stein reiterated her words from before. Marie sighed and pulled Maka's hair out of her sleeping face, causing her to stir. She gave a small yawn before blinking her eyes open. The look of shock on her face was priceless.

"Uncle Stein! How did you get here so fast! I just blinkeded and you're here!" her mouth gaped open.

"Maka, you've been asleep for a couple of hours." Stein said. Maka shook her head.

"No, silly. I just blinkeded and now you're here!" Maka exclaimed. Stein sighed and shook his head.

"Okay, then, Maka. Well… I teleported." Stein said. Marie tried not to laugh, but Maka looked stunned.

"Are you serious?" she exclaimed, getting so excited that she bounced up onto her knees.

"Completely serious, Maka." Stein gave a small smirk, causing Maka to frown.

"No. You're lying, Uncle Stein. And Papa says that people shouldn't l-" both Marie and Stein were in shock when Maka's eyes widened and she began to cry.

"Maka, sweetheart, what's wrong?" Marie asked. Maka, through choked sobs, began to speak.

"W-Well, Papa says that p-people that lie are bad! B-But he s-says that you and U-Uncle Stein l-love each other v-very much, but y-you say you don't! That means P-Papa is a bad p-" Maka was cut off by a desperate Marie.

"No! He's not lying!" Marie exclaimed.

"Marie!" Stein exclaimed to the blonde. Maka stopped crying and her eyes widened.

"So you _do_ love each other!" Maka clapped her hands together. Marie's and Stein's eyes widened in perfect unison.

"Maka, we-" Stein began. Maka's eyes began to water and she sighed.

"Please don't say Papa w-was lying!" Maka exclaimed. Stein grit his teeth.

She was manipulative.

He was quite proud of his goddaughter at this point.

"He's not a liar, Maka." Stein said, gently. Marie suppressed a gasp and Maka smiled.

"Good! Then you can kiss!" Maka beamed. Stein and Marie's eyes widened even further. Marie sat forward and spoke gently to the little girl.

"Maka," Marie began, "Uncle Stein and I can't kiss, because-" Maka's eyes filled with tears and her head dropped. Marie recoiled, but as she did, she felt Stein grasp her jaw gently and pull her lips to his.

"_Mmph!_" the noise was one of shock, and if she was being honest, excitement. Maka looked up and squealed with delight.

"You _love_ each other!" Maka beamed, bouncing up and down. Stein pulled away from Marie, both of them breathing heavily. Stein turned to Maka and looked down at her.

"Yes, Maka. But, you have to promise me something." Stein said. Maka nodded, a wide smile on her face.

"Yes, I will do it because you love each other." she grinned. Stein scratched the back of his head.

"… Yeah. Anyway… you can't tell your Papa that Aunty Marie and I-"

"Made kisses?" Maka asked. Stein raised an eyebrow.

"Sure. Whatever. You just can't tell Papa. Because… Aunty Marie and I are going to tell him later, okay?" Stein asked. Maka nodded and hugged Stein, much to his shock.

"I'm glad you love Aunty Marie, Uncle Stein." Maka said before bouncing off the bed and out of the room. Stein looked back at Marie.

"You just kissed me." Marie said. Stein looked away.

"Yeah, sorry about that." Stein said. Marie shook her head as she got off the bed and walked out of the room. Try as she might, she just couldn't use her big girl words.

She gave a small nod, whatever that was supposed to mean, and exited the room.


	6. Friday: Of Girl Talks and Conclusions

**A/N: This chapter is short - sorry! But... at least it's here!**

"Aunty Marie?" Maka asked. Marie looked down at Maka and gave a small smile.

"What's up, Maka?" Marie asked, picking up Maka and putting the girl on her lap. Maka sat forward and rested her head on her hands, giving a great sigh.

"We need to have a serious talk." Maka said, far too seriously for a three year old. Marie raised an eyebrow and looked down at Maka.

"What about, honey?" Marie asked. Maka looked at Marie and tilted her head to the side.

"Well, Aunty Marie, now that you're in love with Uncle Stein…" Maka began. Marie took a deep breath in and shrugged, clasping her hands.

"I just… Aunty Marie, will I get to love someone one day?" Maka asked. Marie clicked her tongue and her eyes softened, taking Maka's small hand in her own.

"Honey, you do have people you love. You have Mama, you've got Papa, you've got me and Uncle Stein…" Marie was cut off by yet another sigh from the three year old.

"No, I don't mean like that! I mean like… you know how people have special hugs? Like… like the ones they can only do with somebody they love very much?" Maka asked. Marie gave a small giggle under her breath, but kept her composure and nodded.

"Yes, Maka." Marie nodded.

"Well, is I going to find a person like that?" Maka asked. Marie sighed and tilted her head to the side.

"Well, Maka, I'm not sure you need to worry about that just now, honey." Marie reassured the sandy blonde toddler.

"But… What about you, Aunty Marie? Does you and Uncle Stein do the special hug that only two people in love can do?" Maka asked.

"Oh, no, Maka. I'm not even sure what's happening with us." Marie sighed and sat forward, rubbing her temples gently.

"Is you got a headache?" Maka asked. Marie sat back and shook her head.

"No, honey. I'm just thinking about some things. That's all." Marie smiled. Maka nodded and looked over at the door as Stein walked in.

"Hi, Uncle Stein!" Maka beamed. Stein gave a small smile and walked over to the two of them.

"You alright?" Stein asked Marie. Marie nodded and stood up, looking at Stein.

"I've got to go and run an errand, okay? But I'll be back soon." she said. Stein nodded and Maka took his hand.

"_I_ look after Uncle Stein for you, Aunty Marie." Maka reassured her. Marie picked up her handbag, giggled and leant down, kissing Maka on the nose.

"I'm sure you will. I'll see you soon." Marie said, waving to the two as she walked out of the apartment. Stein looked down at Maka and pushed his glasses up over the bridge of his nose.

"So, what do you want to do?" Stein asked. Maka looked up, pondering the question before responding.

"Sciencing!" Maka beamed.

"… Sciencing?" Stein asked. Maka nodded.

"Well, Aunty Marie said that you wasn't just gonna be a doctor, you was gonna be a scientist too! So, maybe you can teach me to science!" Maka exclaimed. Stein raised an eyebrow and sighed.

"Alright, Maka," Stein sighed, "I'll teach you to science."

* * *

><p>"What is going on in here?"<p>

Two faces turned to look at Marie, one of a man, the other a small girl, both with splotches of cornstarch and the occasional splatter of food colouring.

"Slime!" Maka giggled, holding her green, slime-covered hands out in front of her. Stein quickly leapt behind her, holding his hands under hers and directing them back to the sink.

"Rinse them there, okay?" he asked, and Maka nodded. Stein then turned to Marie, ready for a lecture.

You can imagine his surprise when she smiled and giggled slightly.

"I haven't made this stuff since grade school." Marie smiled and walked forward to the counter, standing next to Maka, who was intently watching all of the colours run down the sink off of her hands.

"So, whose idea was it to make slime?" Marie asked. Maka smiled and turned the tap off.

"Well…" she took a great, heaving breath in, and both Stein and Marie knew that it was the beginning of one of her rambling anecdotes.

"Go on." Marie smiled.

"Well, I said to Uncle Stein that I wanted to do some sciencing, right? And I wanted to make something for Mama and Papa for when they get home tomorrow!" Maka exclaimed. Marie giggled and nodded.

"Sciencing for Mama and Papa, of course." she looked back at Stein and smiled.

"Yeah. So, I asked him what we could do that was about sciencing. He said that we could make slime with kitchen things! Did _you_ know that we could make slime with kitchen things?" Maka asked.

"No, I didn't. That's pretty cool, isn't it?" Marie asked. Maka's eyes widened and she gasped.

"I'll show you how to make the slime, okay?" Maka exclaimed. Marie smiled and followed the young girl over to the counter. She looked at Stein and raised an eyebrow.

"I know you instigated this. Don't you play innocent with me, young man." Marie warned.

"Young man? Marie, I'm older than you." Stein said.

"Well, whatever." Marie huffed. Stein smirked and returned to the counter.

"I thought you liked this sort of stuff." Stein replied,

"I do," Marie said, "who said I was going to get mad at you? I might reward you."

"And just how are you planning to do that?" Stein asked with a smirk. Marie's eyes widened and she grabbed some of Maka's slime – some that had not quite turned out properly and was rather gooey – and threw it straight at Stein.

"I did say _might _reward you." Marie said. Stein raised an eyebrow, the slime sticking to his shirt, and bared a small smile in challenge, grabbing some of his own failed slime in his hand and throwing it at Marie. The slime hit her in the chest as well, splattering across it in great globs.

"_Stein!_" she exclaimed, and her hand reached out for the closest thing to throw – the cornstarch. A handful flew at Stein, the white powder hitting his face and dusting the top of the giggling toddler's head beneath it. Maka sneezed with that, and Marie looked down, her uncovered eye wide.

"Maka, I-" with that, Maka giggled wildly and pressed her tiny hands to Marie's hips, leaving two green hand prints.

"Aunty Marie, you're _green!_" Maka giggled wildly, and Marie picked her up. Stein walked towards her and pressed his hand to her cheek, and she felt her cheeks heat up.

"You've got some slime there." Stein brushed away the green substance with his thumb. Marie smiled.

"Thanks." she said, quietly. Stein gave a small nod.

"Well, I'll clean this up." Stein said.

"And I'll clean this one up." Marie looked at the cornstarch-and-slime covered Maka, and she giggled. Stein nodded and watched as Marie walked out of the room to the bathroom. He found himself staring, and was not knocked out of his daze until the phone rang. He nearly fell over himself, but regained his balance and answered the phone.

"Hey." Stein said.

"_Oh, come on, man. You stated off the week with 'This is the Albarn residence.' What happened to that?_"

"Well, seeing as ninety percent of the calls we get are from you telling me now much sex you've had, I decided it wasn't worth it." Stein drawled.

"_Fine, fine. It's just a short call. Making sure Maka's okay."_

"Maka's fine, Spirit. Nothing's happened." Stein reassured the girl's father.

"_Good… What about you and Marie?" _Spirit asked, and Stein could practically hear the smir Spirit was surely exhibiting.

"What about Marie and I?" Stein asked.

"_Have you done anything?"_

"No."

"_Well, man, it's the last night… last chance. Don't' screw up."_

"Whatever, Spirit." Stein drawled once more. Spirit laughed on the other end of the phone.

"_Alright, alright, I'll let you be. See you tomorrow, dude."_

"Goodbye, Spirit." Stein hung up the phone and rested against the cupboard.

As much as he hated to admit it – _and he really hated admitting it – _maybe Spirit was right. Maybe… maybe he had to make a move.

* * *

><p>"She asleep?" Marie asked, watching as Stein walked over to her and sat down on the bed.<p>

"Yeah. Finally. It probably wasn't a great idea to remind her that Spirit and Kami were coming back tomorrow after I'd made her forget… just before she was about to go to sleep." Stein chuckled. Marie smiled and looked down.

"Sorry." she smiled. Stein shook his head.

"It's fine, Marie." Stein reassured her, resting back on the bed, his hands behind his head.

"I can't believe the week's over. And, after tomorrow, we're just… we're going to go back to normal." Marie sighed.

"Yeah." Stein breathed.

"I'm really glad that I got to house-sit with you. We nearly lost contact there, after Shibusen." Marie sighed. Stein smirked.

"Yeah, anyone'd think that Spirit and Kami were trying to get us together." Stein looked at Marie, who simply laughed.

"Oh, they'd never do that." she smirked back. Stein nodded and sighed.

"Of course not." Stein replied.

"Well, we'd best get to sleep. I'm sure Maka will be overly hyperactive tomorrow, with her parents coming back." Marie said. Stein nodded, albeit reluctantly, and switched off his bedside light. The two of them pulled the covers over their shoulders.

It was the last night they would spend together.

_The. Last. Night_.

Death. Spirit was right.

They had come so far in that short week, and now… it was over. They couldn't leave it hanging. They just couldn't. Stein scrunched up his fists and turned over.

"Marie, I-"

"Stein, I like you."

"...Sorry?" Stein asked. Marie's cheeks heated up and she gasped.

"Oh, Death, Stein, I'm sorry, I-"

"Don't be sorry."

"Wh-"

Marie was cut off when Stein ran his hand under her jaw and pulled her lips to his. It seemed he was thinking the same thing as she was.

All restraint was left behind, there was no consideration that this may not be the way to start a relationship, but there was no doubt that this was _right. _Stein pulled away, his fingers tangled in Marie's hair, his forehead pressed against hers. Marie's leg was locked on top of Stein, her thigh sitting at his hip.

"Are you sure?" he whispered. Marie nodded.

"Stein, I've been sure ever since Shibusen, for Death's sake." Marie replied, her hand on Stein's cheek. Her expression then changed to one of questioning.

"Stein, we don't have a-" Marie began.

"Second drawer, left-hand side table, don't ask, blame Spirit." Stein answered. Marie smiled and pressed her lips to Stein's once more, beginning a night that neither of them would ever forget.

**A/N: THEY'RE FINALLY BONING.**

**Geez, do you have any idea how much restraint I had to use in order to write six chapters of sickly sexual tension? Gawsh.**


	7. Saturday: Of Confessions and Returns

**A/N: Finally, I'm back! I didn't forget about this story – but writer's block hit me hard. Here's your conclusion, gorgeous people.**

"Mmm…good morning." Marie mumbled, the feel of a bare, solid body pressing against her back was a small marker of the night before.

"Morning." Stein replied, his voice resonating in her ears. Marie sighed and moved her hand back to rest on Stein's bare thigh.

"Did last night happen?" Marie asked. Stein's eyes opened slightly, glancing forward for a second before losing his eyelids again.

"Yep." Stein stated, pulling Marie closer to him and wrapping his arm further around her waist.

"We should probably not be naked in bed together with a rather talkative three-year-old in the house." Marie whispered. Stein ran his hand over Marie's side, trailing his fingers up and down her abdomen.

"Mmhm." Stein replied, closing his eyes and burying his face into Marie's hair.

"Are you even awake?" Marie raised an eyebrow.

"Yeah." Stein groaned.

"Do you think Maka heard last night?" Marie asked, quietly. Stein shook his head.

"Nope." Stein murmured.

"Do you not speak in more than one-word sentences in the morning?" Marie asked Stein nodded against her shoulder.

"I'm just tired out from last night." Marie could practically feel the smirk Stein was giving. marie sighed and took Stein's hand in hers.

"Is it bad to have sex in other people's houses?" Marie asked.

"This is an apartment." Stein clarified. Marie raised an eyebrow and turned over to face Stein.

"Fine. Apartments, then." she sighed. Stein shrugged.

"Probably. Propriety isn't my thing, really." Stein remarked. Marie rolled her eyes.

"Yes, _rebel without a cause_." she retorted. Stein opened his eyes and smirked.

"I try." Stein replied. Marie sighed and looked carefully at Stein.

"You can't see, can you?" Marie asked. Stein shook his head.

"No, I can't, talking blob." Stein replied. Marie frowned and pouted.

"Even with my shocking eyesight, I can tell you're pissed off. Fine. Attractive blob?" Stein asked. Marie rolled her eyes and giggled, leaning forward to kiss Stein on the forehead. He reached backwards and grabbed his glasses, sliding them on.

"I slept with _you?_" Stein asked. Marie frowned and smacked Stein in the arm. He laughed, one of the few genuine laughs Marie had ever heard him give, and rolled onto his back.

"Sometimes I can't believe how funny I am." Stein smirked. Marie sighed and rolled her eyes.

"Yes. You're a comic genius." she giggled. Stein sighed and scratched his chest.

"I'm going to get up." Marie said, followed by an audible noise of disdain. She slid her legs out of bed, leaning over to the chair and pulling her robe off of it. She stood up, hearing a groan from behind her.

"You sure you _have_ to go?" Stein asked. Marie sighed.

"Just stay there for a second." Stein's eyes flicked down Marie's back and settled, and Marie pulled her robe on, shooting Stein a look of condescension.

"If you keep making comments like that, then you'll never see _that_ again." Marie remarked.

"So, once again – do you have to go?" Stein asked, pulling the covers around him tightly.

"Yes, Stein, and you probably should too. Because if we're not up at the same time, Maka gets suspicious." Marie said, going to walk out of the room. However, she stopped at the doorway and walked to the cupboard, standing up on her tiptoes to open it.

"Need some help there?" Stein smirked.

"I might, but it's obvious you're not offering it to me." Marie pulled a fitted sheet out of the cupboard and threw it over at Stein.

"Put this on the bed, would you? I promised Kami." Marie said. Stein raised an eyebrow, but Marie had walked out of the room before he could query anything.

The blonde turned around the corner into Maka's room, where the little girl was just in the process of waking up. Small murmurs escaped her lips and she turned over, her green eyes opening.

"Aunty Marie." she yawned with a smile. Marie walked over to Maka and knelt down next to her, brushing her fringe out of her eyes.

"Good morning, Maka. You ready for Mama and Papa to come home?" Marie asked. Maka gave a gleeful smile and nodded wildly before her face contorted into a look of worry.

"What is it, sweetheart?" Marie asked.

"… Was you and Uncle Stein having a fight last night?" Maka asked. Marie raised an eyebrow and shook her head.

"No, sweetie… why would you think that?" Marie asked. Maka sat up and her eyes were filled with despair.

"W-Well, you and Uncle Stein sounded like you were hurt! You was going _ahhh _and Uncle Stein was going _uhhn_ and then you was yelling! A-And there was banging, and I didn't want to come in because I was scared!" Maka said.

Marie very nearly passed out when she realised what Maka was talking about. Her eyes went wide and she grasped Maka's hand.

"We weren't fighting, we were… just playing a game. Come on, shall we get ready for Mama and Papa to get home?" Marie decided that distraction was her best chance.

"Yay!" Maka exclaimed. Marie breathed a sigh of relief.

* * *

><p>"Did you have fun?" Maka asked, her green eyes wide as her father bounced her up and down on his knees.<p>

"We had a _lot_ of fun, Maka," Spirit's eyes flicked to Kami outside on the balcony for a moment, before they went back to Maka, "and what about you?"

"Oh, Papa, we had such a good time! Uncle Stein and Aunty Marie and me did so much things!" Maka giggled, and Spirit smiled widely.

"Did you educate Uncle Stein on Princess Sparkles?" Spirit asked. At this point, Stein spoke up, holding his coffee mug in one hand.

"I'm practically an expert." Stein groaned, taking a long swig of the coffee. Spirit laughed and smirked at Stein.

Meanwhile, Kami and Marie were out on the balcony, Kami laughing heartily at the escapades of her daughter.

"_She_ pushed _Stein_ into the pool?" Kami asked. Marie nodded and giggled.

"I know! I wish I could lie and tell you it wasn't funny." Marie admitted, and Kami laughed, sighing afterwards.

"So… did you and Stein…?" Kami raised her eyebrows and Marie crossed her arms.

"Fine, fine, I won't prod. But only because I'm nice." Kami said, pushing the sliding door to the balcony out of the way and watching Maka run into her arms. She picked Maka up in a sweeping hug and walked her in the door.

"I missed you, baby girl!" Kami giggled. Maka smile dand hugged her mother tightly.

"I missed you too, Mama!" Maka exclaimed. Kami looked at her and sat down on the couch.

"So, what did you get up to with Aunty Marie and Uncle Stein?" Kami asked.

"Well, we did sciencing, and we went to the pool, and we had to go to my playdate, but it was okay! There was just one thing that made me sad…" Maka looked down, and Kami raised an eyebrow, and Stein and Marie looked at one another.

"What's that, Maka?" Kami asked. Maka looked back at Stein and Marie, before looking at her mother.

"Well, I mean, I know I was s'posed to be asleep, but… last night, Aunty Marie and Uncle Stein played a game and they didn't let me play!"

Stein spit the coffee that was in his mouth back into the cup and Marie's eyes widened.

Kami and Spirit looked at one another, before looking at Stein and Marie, whose cheeks were rapidly reddening – even Stein's pallid face was gaining a blush-like quality.

"What? What game did they play?" Kami asked. Maka shrugged.

"I don't know… but it was a loud game. They was making noises and it sounded like it was really hurty or really fun… I couldn't tell!" Maka clasped her hands to her cheeks and Spirit smirked.

"Oh, trust me, Maka, it was _fun_." he raised his eyebrows, and if there wasn't a three-year-old in the room, Stein would have throttled him on the spot.

"Maka, it's okay. It was a… _special _game. One that you wouldn't like – it's a game that you're only allowed to like when you're a big person." Kami explained. Marie was sure she was bright red by now, and Kami noticed.

"Hey, how about you go with Papa and put away your presents?" Kami asked. Maka nodded and ran over to her father, taking his hand. As Spirit walked past Stein, he gave him a tap on the arm.

"You dog." he smirked.

"_Shut up_." Stein hissed. Kami cleared her throat and beckoned Stein over, and he and Marie stood in front of Kami like two children in trouble with the headmaster.

"You had sex!" she exclaimed.

"Perceptive." Stein drawled.

"Oh, come on. You got _laid_, Stein, you're happy underneath that grumpy med student exterior." Kami said, sternly. Stein's eyes flicked to Marie before going back down to his coffee.

"Perhaps." he said, shoving one of his hands into his pocket. Kami looked at Marie and smirked, and Marie's stoic exterior fell to pieces.

"Come with me." Marie ran forward, grabbed Kami's hand and pulled her out onto the balcony, beginning to explain the happenings of the night before. Stein sighed and rounded the corner, looking in at his former weapon and Maka.

"It was lots of fun with Aunty Marie and Uncle Stein, Papa. They was very good to me." Maka smiled, and Spirit returned the expression.

He hadn't at all expected looking after Maka to bring about such major events.

* * *

><p>"Okay, Maka, Aunty Marie and Uncle Stein are leaving now."<p>

"_No! I don't want them to leave!_" the little girl cried, and Marie looked on sympathetically.

"Sweetheart, we've got to go. Mama and Papa are back now." Marie said, softly.

"But, you can just live here, with Mama and Papa and Maka!" Maka said, as if it was the simplest concept in the world. Her eyes welled up with tears and Marie knelt down, sweeping Maka up into her arms.

"Oh, honey, it's okay! We'll see you again soon." Marie stood up and cradled the three year old, and she bobbed her head up and around to stare at Stein. She reached her hand out to grab for Stein, and he walked over next to Marie as Maka grabbed his hand.

Spirit and Kami looked at one another before looking back at the scene before them. Stein and Marie, standing there with a child, looking quite natural.

Kami smirked at Spirit, and he returned the expression.

"Come on, sweetheart." Spirit walked over to the girl, who began to bawl when she was taken away from her godparents.

"I don't want them to leave, Papa, no!" Maka cried, and Spirit gently shushed the little girl.

"It's okay, Maka. It's okay." he murmured. Marie looked on, her own eyes filling with tears, and Stein grasped her shoulder gently.

"She'll be fine." Stein said, quietly. Marie nodded and wiped her uncovered eye. She walked over to Maka and looked at Spirit, who handed her back.

"I promise, I'm going to come and see you again soon." Marie said. Maka nodded tearily, snivelling.

"A-And Uncle Stein?" Maka asked.

"And Uncle Stein." Marie nodded insistently. Maka gave a tentative smile and hugged Marie.

"Goodbye, Maka. See you soon." she rubbed small circles into the little girl's back before handing her to Stein.

"Uncle Stein?" Maka asked.

"Yes?" Stein replied. Maka giggled and clapped her hands together.

"Will you come back and read me some more Princess Sparkles?" Maka asked. Stein's eyes widened and he looked at Marie before looking back at the toddler.

"Of course." he said, with a tiny genuine smile. Maka hugged him tightly.

"Bye, Uncle Stein." she said, her voice now almost completely rid of tears.

"Bye, Maka." Stein replied. Stein put Maka down and she ran back over to Kami and Spirit, who waved the two off as they left the apartment, belongings in tow.

"Well." Marie said.

"Well." Stein replied. His eyes flicked to the petite blonde and she smiled back up at him.

"That was an… eventful week." she told him, and he nodded in agreement.

"It was." That was all Stein could manage.

"It's going to be weird without you, now." Marie admitted, laugher accompanying her words.

"Well… You could stay at mine, if you wanted." he said, sheepishly. Marie's eye widened and she couldn't hide her smile.

"That'd be great." she said. Stein smirked at her and they walked out of the apartment complex.

"I'm actually proud of them." Kami looked over at Spirit, who still had a slightly disgruntled look on his face.

"What's wrong?" Kami asked.

"They had sex… in this bed. _Stein_ had _sex… _in this bed." he said, the look not shifting.

"Yep. You'll live." Kami remarked. Spirit rolled his eyes and pulled the covers up over him.

"Thanks for the support, lovely wife of mine." Spirit huffed. Kami leant over him and gave a seductive smile.

"Well… we could match them." she suggested. Spirit raised an eyebrow.

"Oh, yeah, 'cause nothing gets me going more than knowing that two of my best friends had sex where I'm sleeping." Spirit complained.

"They changed the sheets. That's something." Kami giggled. Spirit rolled his eyes and shoved Kami onto her back, and she laughed. At that point, a small voice spoke up.

"Mama, Papa… what's sex?" Maka asked, worriedly.

Kami and Spirit's eyes widened in unison, and Spirit near-ran over to Maka. Kami picked up the phone next to her bed and dialled in a number.

"_Hello?_" a tired voice answered.

"Ah, Stein, just the person I wanted to hear. Here you go." Kami began. Stein heard the phone change hands, and after some light verbal prodding from Kami, Maka spoke.

"Uncle Stein, what's sex?"

After some momentary silence, Maka looked up at Kami and Spirit and smiled.

"It's a big person game!" Maka beamed. Spirit took the phone back and frowned.

"Stein, that's a lame explanation." Spirit remarked.

"_Yes, well, unfortunately I'm not on babysitting duty anymore. Now, if you'll excuse me, Marie and I have to get back to our big person game."_

"Stein! No! Don't tell me that!" Spirit exclaimed.

"_Mmhm. Sucks to get a taste of your own medicine, doesn't it?_" Stein hung up the phone and Spirit rolled his eyes, setting it down again.

"Come on, baby, back to bed." Spirit said, and Maka went with unusual ease. Spirit shut his and Kami's door around and smiled at his wife.

"Okay, I'm a _little_ proud of them." he admitted. Kami smiled widely.

"I knew you'd come around." she said, and Spirit settled back into bed. He smiled at her and they flicked off the lights, getting under the covers and shutting his eyes, concluding what was a very eventful week.

**A/N: So, there we go! Hope you enjoyed the fluff!**


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